METHODS FOR OPTIMAL GRADIENT DESIGN AND FAST GENERIC WAVEFORM SWITCHING
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Abstract
This disclosure provides a computer-implemented method for sequencing magnetic resonance imaging waveforms using a multistage sequencing hardware. The method comprises creating, with the aid of a computer processor, an active memory region that includes waveforms and schedules being played, and creating one or more buffer memory regions that contain waveforms and schedules not currently being played. Next, the waveforms and schedules in the one or more buffer memory regions may be updated while waveforms may be played in the active memory region. Upon completion of the waveform playback in the active memory region, the active and buffer memory regions may be swapped so that the former buffer memory region becomes the active memory region, and the former active memory region becomes the buffer memory region. The method may be repeated as needed until the imaging process is completed or otherwise halted.
28 Citations
32 Claims
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1-6. -6. (canceled)
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7. A method for generating sequencing waveforms for use in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device coupled to a computer system, comprising:
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a) providing an active memory region in a memory location of the computer system programmed to sequence MRI waveforms, the active memory region comprising one or more waveforms and schedules being played by the MRI device; b) providing one or more buffer memory regions in the memory location, the one or more buffer regions comprising one or more waveforms and schedules not currently being played by the MRI device; c) updating, with the aid of a computer processor of said computer system, said one or more waveforms and schedules not currently being played by the MRI device in said one or more buffer memory regions while said one or more waveforms and schedules of said active memory region are being played by the MRI device; d) upon completion of the waveform playback in said active memory region by the MRI device, swapping, with the aid of a computer processor, said active memory region with said buffer memory region; and e) generating a magnetic field gradient pulse with the MRI device based on the one or more waveforms and schedules of the active memory region to play the one or more waveforms and schedules. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. (canceled)
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17. A method of generating a waveform for use in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device coupled to a computer system, the method comprising:
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a) determining a first combined constraint for an imaging device by calculating, with a computer processor of the computer system, an intersection between a first multidimensional limitation and a second multidimensional limitation; b) providing, with the computer processor, a set of desired gradient properties; c) calculating, with the computer processor, a set of desired multidimensional gradient parameters in a first coordinate space from the provided set of desired gradient properties; d) transforming, with the computer processor, the calculated set of desired multidimensional gradient parameters into a second coordinate space; e) determining a second combined constraint for the imaging device by calculating, with the computer processor, an intersection between the first combined constraint and the transposed set of desired multidimensional gradient parameters; f) calculating, with the computer processor, a multidimensional set of gradient waveforms that satisfy the second combined constraint, the multidimensional set of gradient waveforms comprising a first waveform in a first axis and a second waveform in a second axis; g) determining, with the computer processor, whether the first waveform and the second waveform have the same time length; h) transforming the multidimensional set of gradient waveforms into the first coordinate space if the first waveform and the second waveform have the same time length; and i) generating a magnetic field gradient pulse, with the MRI device, based on the transposed multidimensional set of gradient waveforms. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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18. (canceled)
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31. A method of generating waveforms for use in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device coupled to a computer system, the method comprising:
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a) generating, with a computer processor of the computer system, a first imaging waveform based on a first waveform schedule read from a first memory region of a memory location of the computer system which is programmed to generate waveforms; b) updating, with the computer processor, a second waveform schedule in a second memory region in the memory location while the first imaging waveform is being generated; c) generating, with the computer processor, a second imaging waveform based on the second waveform schedule read from the second memory region when the first imaging waveform has been generated; d) updating, with the computer processor, the first imaging waveform schedule in the first memory region while the second waveform is being generated; and e) generating a magnetic field gradient pulse, with the MRI device, based on the one or more of the generated first imaging waveform or the second imaging waveform.
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32-46. -46. (canceled)
Specification